New York Times: Video Games Allow Characters More Varied Sexual Identities

In the popular simulation game The Sims, players have long been able to create male and female characters — but only up to a point. That changed this year. In May, Electronic Arts, the publisher of The Sims, released a patch for the game that removed all gender barriers, freeing players to create virtual characters with any physical attribute.

For Blair Durkee, the shift was significant. The day after the patch was introduced, Ms. Durkee, a student at Clemson University in South Carolina, logged into The Sims and started designing her first transgender character. She named the character Amber, gave her a deep voice and broad shoulders, and made her infertile, “which is really the only attribute that all trans people have in common,” said Ms. Durkee, 28, who transitioned to female at 24.

Alexis founded SimsVIP in 2011 right after Aliens abducted her from Bella Goth’s house. Sims has been a part of her life for 15 years, and we don’t see that changing anytime soon. She also wants to live in a world full of Llamacorns. Grilled Cheese anyone?

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